Keynote by Emma Ruttkamp-Bloem

In this lecture I argue for the repositioning of AI ethics as a philosophical method, with the aim of underscoring the societal interface of AI ethics and human flourishing. I call this method design-for-resistance. The motivation for this work lies in the urgent need to counter the network of social and political power that drives the current AI business model. This model weakens human agency, excludes huge parts of the world from any chance to benefit from AI technology, manipulates through hype narratives and false promises, and ultimately flattens diversity and the richness of being human. I introduce the philosophical capacities driving design-for-resistance as prudence and wisdom, informed by Aristotle's account of phronesis, and supporting ethical judgment that remains sensitive to context. I then demonstrate the complex contextuality of navigating AI technology for value by highlighting three of the many dimensions of design-for-resistance as method: geo-strategy, social justice, and human agency. I conclude that a practical account of AI ethics that combines ‘how’ and ‘why’ questions into one method is a promising and just path towards building lives of value in increasingly AI-infused societies.